Extension table with center elevating leaf



May 23, 1950 E. c. BOOTH 2,508,352

EXTENSION TABLE WITH CENTER ELEV'ATING LEAF INVENTOR. 'eL C @aar/9 May 23, 1950 E. c. BooTH EXTENSION TABLE WITH CENTER ELEVATING LEAF 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo, 21, 1946 Patented May 23, '1950 UNITED STATES PATENTk OFFICE* EXTENSION TABLE WITH CENTER ELEVATING LEAF Earl C. Booth, ColumbusLInd., assignor to Noblitt-Sparks Industries, a corporation of Indiana lne., Columbus, Ind.,

Application December 21, 1946,- Serial No. 7l7,649 3 Claims. 01.' suf-fm) This invention relates to extension tables and more particularly to an extension table embodying'a center leaf which can be inserted when desired between two relatively movable sections of the table-top. It is an object of this invention to :u

facilitate the insertion, removal, and storage of the center leaf of an extension table. Another ob` the center leaf between a position co-planar with the halves of the table-top and a position beneath the top. The two halves of the table top are provided with depending peripheral flanges which i serve to conceal the center leaf when it is in its lower position. -The center leaf is provided at its ends with pivotally mounted skirt-portions which conformin cross-sectional shape to the peripheral anges on the top-sections. The skirt portions areswingable about their axes of pivotal mounting on the center leaf between positions beneath the center leaf and positions generally normal to the center leaf; and at least one of the skirt portions is connected to the aforesaid cams to'cause them torotate to elevate the center leaf as'the skirt portion is swung outwardly and downwardly. The parts are so constructed and arranged that when the skirt portions reach positions normal to thecenter leaf the center leaf will have been raised to the plane of the top and the ,skirt portions will be substantially flush with the peripheral flanges on the top.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my inof the center leaf; Figs. 7 and 8 are longitudinal vertical sections on the lines 1-1 and `8--8 of Figs. 4. and 5 respectively; and Fig. 9 is a fragmental side elevation of the table-top .with porwith aligned openings which slidably receive two tions thereof broken away and illustrated in section.

The table illustrated in the drawings comprises a pair of complementary top-sections I0 and II each provided at its outer corners with supportmglegs. I2. Each section of the top has a downwardlyV proJecting flange I3 extending, prefer'- ably` continuously, along its sides andacross its outer end. For a purpose which .will hereinafter! become apparent, each of the flanges I3 has an outwardly offset portion I4 the lower edge of which is secured to a U-shaped tubular element I5.

Extending across and beneath the top-section I 0 and AI I are transverse partitions 20 provided laterally spaced, parallel guide rods 2I. The two sections of the table are slidably interconnected bythe guide rods ZI for relative movement between a position in which the inner ends of the top-sections are in abutting relation and a positionin which such inner ends are separated to permit the insertion of a center leaf 22 between them. Desirably, the inner end of each of the f top-sections is bent downwardly to provide a stif.

fening and reinforcing flange 23.

The center leaf .22 has a length equal to the width of the top-sections I0 and IIand is provided along its sides with stiffening anges 24 adapted to abut against the flanges 23 on the top section when the center leaf is in operative position. At itsends, the center leaf has downwardly projecting flanges 25 (Fig. 6) which conform in cross-sectional shape and extent to the unoifset portions of the iianges I3 on the top-sections I0 and II. Secured to the under surface of the leaf 22 adjacent each end thereof is a bracket 21 which conveniently extends for substantially the fulll width of the leaf and to which there is pivotally secured a skirt 28. Conveniently, the pivotal mounting lof the` skirt 28 on the bracket 21 is effected through a hinge 29 of the piano type. Each of the skirts 28 is swingable between a position, shown in Fig. 5, in which it lies beneath the center leaf to a position, shown in Figs. 4 and 6,

in which it extends downwardly generally normal to the center leaf. That portion of the skirt 28 which is visible beneath the flange 25 when the skirt is in the latter position is shaped to conform to the offset portions I4 of the. flanges I3 on the top-sections I0 and II; and a tube 3|, conforming to the tubes I5, is secured to the outer edg of the skirt, as by means of screws 32.

`The innermost transverse ribs 20 are spaced `outwardly from the .inner ends of the top-sections I and I I to provide for the reception of the center leaf 22 between them when the table is collapsed. as indicated in Fig. 8. Mounted on each of the guide rods 2I between the ribs 20 is a cam 35 having two generally plane portions 36 and 31 which extend parallel to the axis of the associated tube 2| but are spaced at diiferent distances from such axis and which are interconnected by a smoothly curved portion 38. Conveniently, each cam is formed as a sheet-metal stamping to provide the portions 36, 31, and 38 and also to provide end walls 39 having aligned openings which rotatably receive the tubes 2|.

The two cams 35 provide a support lfor the center leaf 22. Each cam is rotatable 'through approximately 90 between a position in which its surface 36 is uppermost to support the center leaf in its depressed position and a position vin which its surface 31 is uppermost to support the center leaf in elevated position. For the purpose of eieeting joint rotation of the cams, they may conveniently be interconnected by links 40, as ine dicated in Figs. 4 and 5. As there shown, .the cams 35 swing in opposite directions about their respective axes, andthe links 40 are accordingly crossed. It is to be understood, however, that the cams need not swing in opposite .directions and that means other than links .AD `may .be employed t9 interconnect them.

Conveniently, the Acams 35 are arranged for rotation by movement of .one or the other, or both, of the skirts 28. As shown, .each of .the skirts 28 is connected to its adjacent cam A35 through a link 4t2, :the arrangement 'being such that when the skirt is swung downwardly and outwardly from the position beneath the .center leaf the .cams 35 will be rotated to elevate the center leaf, and vice versa.

To maintain the two cams 3,5 opposite each other and also to provide an .additional guide for the tubes 2l, I may employ the means show-n in Figs. i3 and .4. Such means comprises collars 45 Which are slidably mounted on .the guide tubes 2.-.I inside the end walls 39 of the .cams 35. The two. .collars on each guide rod are held in proper spaced relation by struts .46, and .opposite .collars are interconnected by struts 41. stiffness for the structure is provided by diagonal braces 48.

The condition existing when .the table is .col-.- lapsed is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8. In that con.- dition, the skirts 28 are swung inwardly to gen1 erally horizontal positions, .and the .cams 35 are disposed with their surfaces 3B uppermost to supe port the center leaf 22 in a .depressed position such that the nanges 23 on .the top-sections I0 and Il will clear the leaf and permit the Atwo top.: sections to be moved toward `eac-h other until the anges 23 abut, as shown in Fig. 8. In this posie tion of the leaf, it is located below the unoiset flange-portions I3 and Vconcealed by the olset. flange-portions I4, which are spaced .outwardly from the ends of the leaf and serve to conceal it.

When it is desired to extend the table, the two sections thereof are drawn apart to the limit per.- mitted by abutments 2l on the guide rods 20, thus creating `between the flanges 23 'a space into which the center leaf 22 maybe elevated. If nec-V essary, the center leaf is moved along the rods 2l to a position under such space, and one of the skirts 28 is then swung outwardly and clownwardly from the position indicated in Fig. to the kposition shown in Fig. 4. Because the sk-irts are interconnected with the cams by the links I42 while the cams are interconnected bythe links 40, such downward and outward swinging movement of either skirt rotates the cams and the other skirt until the cam-portions 31 are uppermost, thus raising the center leaf into the plane of the top-sections itl and Il. In this condition, the skirts 23 lie flush with the offset flange-portion lli and the tubes 3l are in alignment with the tubes I5.

In vboth the elevated and depressed positions of the leaf 22 its interconnection With the cams 135, through the skirts 28 and links 42, maintains it ,substantially Veentered transversely of the tab l e. {IT- his insures that the top sections and anges iS-I will clear the center leaf'when the two sections of the `table are forcedtogether following depression of the center leaf. If it is desired to improve the alignment of the elevated leaf ,22 and the skirts 23 with the top sections l5 and II and the flanges I3-I4, the skirts and anges may be provided with interntting, aligning provisions. This may conveniently be done, as indicated in Fig. 9, by providing one of the tubes i5 at each side .of the -table with :a cl3-axial projection i5' adapted to be telescopically Ire.- ceived Yin the adjacent .end 4of .the tube )Si :andby providing the vopposite end .of the tube :3.1 with a.

co-axia'l projection 3i adapted pto he similarly received in the end .of .the .other tube i5. When the leaf `22 is depressed and the table collapsed. each projection i5 will enter .the adjacent and of the `other tube .to locate relatively ,to .each other the two topfsections if) and II .and the flanges i3.-III respectively thereon.

I claim as my invention:

i. An extension table, comprising vtwo comple.- mentary top sections each provided with supporte ing legs, parallel guide rods located below .the

top-sections and interconnecting .them for longi-f tudinal'rnovement toward and away from each. other, an extension Aleaf for insertion between said top-sections, means including .cams rotatably sup: ported :from said guide rods for raising and lows. ering said extension leaf into Iandout .of the piane of said top-sections, said guide. rods being .of Acir. cular Across-section and. said cams having circular openings rotatably receiving .said rods, and an.

operating member for rotating said cams.

2. An extension table, comprising two comple-.1.

mentary, sheet-metal topesections each lprovided with supporting legs, -parallel `guide rods located beneath said top-sections and interconnecting them for longitudinal movement toward and away from each other, a sheet=metal extension leaf for insertion between said top=sections,. means for supporting said extension leaf alter,

outwardly relative to the xupper portions land bee yond the side-edges Vof the top sections far enough to clear the ends .of the extension leaf v when it is in depressed position andthe top-sections are moved together, said extension 'leaf'being provided at its ends with downwardly pro.-

jecting integral lflangesl ush with the upper flange-portions of the top sections when the leaf is in'its elevated position, skirts -pivotolly mounted on said leaf adjacent the ends thereof and swingable between first positions beneath the leaf and second positions in which they extend outwardly and downwardly beyond thev flanges on the leaf and are flush with the offset portions .of the vflanges onthe top-sections.

3. 'I'he invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition of operative connections between said skirts and said leaf-supporting means, said leaf-supporting means being operative to raise 'said leaf from depressed to elevated position as said skirts are swung from said first positions to second positions.

EARL C. BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Fuller Aug. 27, 1901 Goller Nov. 13, 1906 Schroeder Nov. 28, 1911 Carnovsky Dec. 19, 1911 Kopesch et al. June 23, 1925 Knechtel Oct. 10, 1933 Walter Nov. 14, 1933 Booth May 19, 1942 

